11:58 Ukrainian General Staff: 139 battles yesterday
For the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian General Staff reported 139 battles at the frontlines in their situation report. Most of these battles took place in the sector Pokrowsk, in the Donezk Oblast, in the southeast of Ukraine. The army recorded six rocket attacks and 55 air raids with 72 glide bombs and over 3000 attacks with grenades. In the northern region, around Kharkiv, Russian troops also used combat jets.
11:22 Ukraine calls for ban of Russian athletes supporting the warThe Ukraine calls for Russian athletes to be excluded from participating in the Olympic Games in Paris if they are proven to be supporting the Russian military. The International Olympic Committee has determined that Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete as "neutral athletes" if they fulfill "strict participation conditions." They are therefore not allowed to compete in teams, present flags, or anything else that can be linked to their homeland. The Ukrainian Olympic Committee reports that some Russian athletes who have qualified for the Olympics have been supporting the Ukrainian war and Putin's politics on the internet. Some athletes have also participated in propaganda tournaments.
10:52 Eleven civilians killed by Russian attacks in UkraineThe Russian army, according to Ukrainian reports, dropped 19 glide bombs on the Charkiw region. The head of the military administration of the Charkiw region reported this to the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform. There, three people were reportedly killed and six others injured. In the Donezk Oblast, 11 civilians were reported killed and 43 injured.
10:08 Ukrainian General Staff: 1260 Russian losses since yesterdayThe Ukrainian General Staff reports 1260 losses among Russian soldiers for the past 24 hours. According to Ukrainian sources, the total number of Russian soldiers killed and injured since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in February 2022 is approximately 550,000. In addition, since yesterday, eleven tanks, 58 drones, 18 armored vehicles, and nine Russian missile systems have been destroyed, as well as 66 artillery systems.
09:29 How it could unfold if Putin attacks the Baltic regionSecurity experts consider a Russian attack on the Baltic region in the coming years to be likely to realistic. NATO assures its members of support, but the alliance's fallback position leaves other countries room for different reactions. How could an attack on the Baltic flank of the defense alliance unfold?
09:11 NATO summit brings news about F-16 jets for UkraineDuring the upcoming NATO summit in Washington, Ukraine can expect new announcements regarding the delivery of F-16 fighter jets. This was announced by a high-ranking US government official during a briefing. The training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16s has reportedly made significant progress. The Ukrainian army is still waiting for the first jets to arrive. The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Belgium have pledged to deliver them.
08:30 One third of Russians support atomic attack on Ukraine
According to a survey presented by Russian propagandist Sergey Mardan on Russian state television, one third of the Russian population are in favor of attacking Ukraine with atomic weapons. They align with Vladimir Solovyov, who constantly calls for the use of atomic weapons in the Ukrainian conflict. In Russian nightlife, patriotism is on the rise. Russian artists are making clear patriotic appeals there.
08:17 AfD welcomes Orban's visit to Putin
The AfD welcomes the Ukraine talks between Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Russian President Vladimir Putin, criticized by EU countries and the German government. "Hungary is taking the lead and speaking with both direct conflict parties from the first day of its EU Council Presidency," explains the foreign policy spokesman of the faction, Matthias Moosdorf. "The AfD-faction welcomes the fact that, at the highest European level, the possibilities of a ceasefire with the goal of peace talks are being prioritized." They refer to the "EU and its personnel" as war instigators.
07:52 Ukraine: Invaders threaten to deport Ukrainians without Russian passports
In the occupied territories of Ukraine, the Russians are threatening, according to Ukrainian reports, to deport residents without Russian passports. The Agency Ukrinform reports this based on a message from the Center for National Resistance. "The occupiers have used this practice before. Locals are taken demonstratively to a checkpoint and expelled from their homeland," the Resistance Center reports. In some cases, people were reportedly forced to obtain passports. During the latest raids in the south, residents were allegedly threatened with deportation and confiscation of their property.
07:19 SPD expert calls for more money for the defense ministry
Members of the German government are concerned about the financing of the Bundeswehr in the context of the agreement on the German federal budget 2025. The army must procure weapons and ammunition, which it hands over to Ukraine, from its own budget. SPD budget expert Andreas Schwarz speaks of a "disappointing number" in view of the small increase in the defense budget of only 1.2 billion euros. "This does not meet what we need in the defense sector," Schwarz told the "Tagesspiegel". The president of the reservists' association, Patrick Sensburg, also stated that Germany would not be "war ready" with this.
06:37 Russia: Ukrainian drones attacked Belgorod
In drone attacks on the town of Shebekino in the Russian oblast Belgorod, several buildings, vehicles, and an industrial plant were damaged, and a person was injured, according to the local governor. The governor reports that a total of 11 houses were damaged and power lines in the community were damaged, as well as social infrastructure.
06:10 Zelenskyy thanks new British PM for Ukraine support
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to the new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the UK's continued support of Ukraine. "I am grateful to Keir Starmer for his assurance that the UK's support for Ukraine remains unchanged in principle," Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. They had aligned their positions ahead of the NATO summit coming up in the following week. According to a high-ranking US official, NATO is expected to propose a "bridge to membership" for Ukraine at the upcoming meeting in Washington.
03:45 Burning oil depots after drone attacks in Russia
Ukrainian drones reportedly attacked several areas in the Russian region of Krasnodar during the night. The Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported that debris from a downed drone damaged a mobile phone mast in Jeisk. In other locations, several fuel tanks were said to have caught fire. There were no reported injuries.
02:07 Power and water outage in Sumy due to drone attacks
According to local authorities, Russian drone attacks have disrupted the power and water supply in the northern Ukrainian city of Sumy. The public broadcaster Suspilne reported a series of explosions in the city. The region of Sumy is almost daily targeted by Russian positions across the border.
00:28 Eight people killed, 28 injured in eastern Ukraine attacks
According to Ukrainian reports, eight people were killed and at least 28 were injured in Russian attacks in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. "Every city and every village in the Donetsk region is constantly threatened by hostile attacks," Governor Wadym Filaschkin wrote on Telegram. Separately, Russian forces reportedly dropped three guided bombs on the further southwestern village of Komar, killing a 32-year-old woman and injuring twenty other people. Thirteen private houses, four businesses, two residential buildings, and two infrastructure facilities were damaged in the attack.
23:16 Starmer confirms unequivocal Ukraine support to Biden
In his first phone call with US President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed the UK's unequivocal support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. The two leaders reaffirmed their "unwavering commitment" to Ukraine and Starmer emphasized that "the UK supports Ukraine unequivocally," according to a statement from Starmer's office a few hours after his swearing-in.
21:49 US cancels military exercises with Georgia
The US is canceling planned joint military exercises with Georgia due to tensions with the Georgian government. The US military's participation in the scheduled Noble Partner maneuvers, which were set to take place between July 25 and August 6, has been "suspended indefinitely," the US Defense Department announced. The background for the cancellation were "false accusations" from the Georgian government. The Pentagon refers to allegations that the US pressured Georgia to go to war with Russia and was involved in "two coup attempts" against the government.
20:35 Insider: Hungary cancels planned meeting with BaerbockThe planned trip of Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock to Budapest on Monday no longer takes place. The Hungarian side suddenly canceled the meeting with Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, according to the Foreign Office.
21:20 Zelensky thanks Germany for third Patriot systemUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanks Germany for the delivery of the third Patriot air defense system. "This is big news," says Zelensky in his evening video message. He also thanks the USA for further steps to strengthen Ukrainian air defense. He does not mention details, but says that the country's partners have fulfilled their obligations. "Ukraine has already shown that it has no Russian rockets that we cannot shoot down," says Zelensky. The country is doing everything to ensure that Russian terror ends.
20:48 NATO expert: "We must bring down Russia"NATO expert Stefanie Babst calls for a clearer approach from the defense alliance towards Russia. "We can only deal with this adversary by bringing down the Russian government. And not only drive them out of Ukraine, but reduce their area of influence so that they no longer exert their toxic influence in Europe as a whole," says Babst in the T-Online podcast. For this, a more decisive approach is needed. "We look at Putin like Lord Voldemort and are afraid that he will pull out his wand. We have to get rid of this notion," appeals Babst. The 60-year-old is a former leading employee of the International Staff of NATO.
20:15 Kreml not optimistic after Labour victory in BritainThe Russian leadership expects no changes in the strained relations between Moscow and London after the Labour Party victory in Britain. The Kreml is "not optimistic," says its spokesman Dmitri Peskov in Moscow. "As far as we can see from their previous statements, they are not inclined towards any flexibility or creativity to normalize the bilateral Russian-British relations."
- The International Olympic Committee is faced with pressure from Ukraine to exclude Russian athletes who support the war if they participate in the Olympic Games in Paris, citing their involvement in propaganda and support for Putin's politics.
- The Ukrainian General Staff reported 139 battles at the frontlines, with most of them taking place in the sector Pokrowsk, in the Donezk Oblast, and reported 1260 Russian losses since yesterday as a result of military operations.
- There have been multiple attacks on Ukraine, with 11 civilians reported killed and 43 injured in the Donezk Oblast, and Russian troops using combat jets in the northern region around Kharkiv.
- NATO is expected to propose a "bridge to membership" for Ukraine at an upcoming summit, following discussions between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
- There are calls for a clearer approach from NATO towards Russia, with the expert Stefanie Babst suggesting that they must aim to "bring down" the Russian government and reduce their influence in Europe.
